It's for the achievement! Next they'll go for the "did I do that?" Achievement where they try to walk it back and act like they're suddenly super genuine after it kills their bottom line.
*I support Ginny Di, the Dudes here, DM Lair, and all the others.* They have been faces I know, and I know how hard it is to create pro level videos. ---> They have earned my loyalty, love, admiration, respect, and goodwill. In my view: *It is time to boycott OneDnD, online game Baldur's Gate, DnDBeyond, and the DnD movie "Honor Among Thieves." Buy no more WotC products.* I once worked in corporate realms and media companies, and I've written IP contracts. I have some idea how they think. Top people at Hasbro and WotC think this will blow over, and then they will get rich from other people's work. *No one should hope they are going to back down on this.* T People who claim "they did this bad thing so they could back down," is just pretending nonsense without any evidence. he new heads are not going to do that, and even if they did, the trust is long broken. Please consider Patreon for the good people and creators who care about you. If you plan to buy anything, do it quickly, and avoid WotC.
The saddest part is that I have a horrible feeling this is all in vain. Car companies put standard features behind paywalls. Software companies put ads into their paid for products. Movie studios prevent ownership of their products and only allow temporary “licenses” to view. Game companies include micro-transactions and released their products unfinished, adding DLC for even basic features. Capitalism is the root of the evils of our creative industries (to say nothing of the evil it has wrought upon our natural world). In 12 months time, OneDND will be live and 5e will be either in-person or piecemeal on various private Discord servers cos no large entity will risk a lawsuit to host it as Roll20 and similar do now.
@@HorizonOfHope stop it. Just stop it. Capitalism is what allows these things to exist in the first place. It’s what rewards creators to put their time into bringing their mind to life. Capitalism isn’t evil, and I’m sick and tired of reading that it is. The system is no more evil than the gun is. THE COMPANY is evil, just as the murderer is evil. Millions have died under every other system known to man, including socialism and communism, just like once thriving companies, even “good and moral” ones, have died under the implementation of those systems. Protest what needs to be protested- Wizards of the Coast, and Hasbro. Stop wasting energy protesting the system. For every dick company like them, there are hundreds more that do good things with the money they make, including this very channel…..
@@SymbioteMullet Yup, sorta defeats the purpose a bit. The CoC looked older, so that may be the original Chaosism D100 game, not sure. It really should have been ALL non D20 games.
The Dudes are incredibly responsible and give a really first class summary of what's going on with the reported OGL changes. You can see them reading out pre-written statements about their position towards the end of the video. You can see how they are trying not to look angry, but they are clearly upset about this betrayal of trust that all creators have depended on. They and other creators who have released fantastic products in recent years need and deserve our support. Dudes, once again, thank you!
@McLovin We will have to see now that Wotc has assured us that what it sent to everyone to sign was only wanting feedback(!) whether the views of people like Monty and Kelly will change. IF Wotc don't charge royalties and guarantee that they won't in future try and steal other creator's work, then things MIGHT return to something like the way the situation was before. But honestly, it's unlikely. I think the Dudes will spend more time talking about other system mechanics in future
This is exactly why I came here to get info. I feel these two try very hard to be completely honest and fair. I have almost no understanding of the legal stuff, and wanted someone I could trust to explain it. I also love how they explained the history of the OGL for those of us who are fairly new to the community, and simplified things for us.
Thanks for a great breakdown, seeing huge respected creators talk about this fills me with hope that we can beat this thing as a community if we keep standing together! #opendnd
I hope this is the case - 2023 was going to be the year I would start growing my content business (freelance writer and narrative designer at the moment and was planning to build my own business).
This is our campaign as one enormous party of D&D lovers. We have heard the call, and whatever needs to be done to protect the freedom of press and creation as well as our most beloved creators, shall be done. We are all behind you, Dudes. ❤
I’m glad y’all are addressing this. I know it hits home. Y’all have poured your heart, soul, sweat, and tears into creating arguably one of the greatest campaign settings I’ve ever seen, and it has to be a slap in the face for TDD, and all other third party creators.
@@noodlesyoutuber you can find 3 seasons of episodes here on the channel. Dungeons of Drakkenheim Shadows of Drakkenheim Fate of Drakkenheim Also, they have a collection of one shot episodes called Untold Tales of Drakkenheim
Glad to see y’all not be silent. Also glad to see the fan content won’t be effected, although it’s probably only a matter of time. I wish you both the best and thank you for supporting creators. ❤
Yes, it's good to hear what they OGL isn't. And that it didn't effect these videos. At least not directly. This OGL BS has a good chance of killing the community around d&d and therefore thier audience.
@@zomarleyonwriting8322 I mean it's already happened before. The 4th edition debacle gave us Pathfinder, and there are already systems out there that aren't dependent on the OGL at all.
@@kevinkingmaker7395 Some night think it's a good idea to jump ship early and use the current momentum. But I think many will continue. Its a primary revenue stream for them. But I can't believe the next campaign will be WotC related.
You know it's bad when they didn't go with Kelly "1.0(a)" McLaughlin and Dr Monty "Third-Party" Martin. But being serious it's very clear this will affect Dungeon Dudes given their own books uses OGL. We are happy to see that you brought ALL the research, the receipts, and their own words. You are some of the Titans in this community and we are happy you are on the side of #OpenDnD.
I can feel the deep anger and sadness here, but also a seriously disciplined effort to be fair to all parties involved and to get the correct information. Professionalism at its best. Y’all literally taught me how to play DND during the pandemic, so if it’s a choice between you and the corporation that just wrote abstruse books you made more accessible, it’s an easy call. I reckon the same goes for many other 3rd party creators and their fan-bases.
Same, the dudes have been, and continues to be the biggest instructors to my DnD life. They inspired me during the pandemic and have taught me so much about the community. To see this potentially crush their Channel will ruin my taste and future with the game they made me fall in love with. Heartbreaking.
Look at the last few videos then look at this one, pay attention to the background. They are being professional, but they definitely have some emotions they are suppressing and found a classy way of showing it. Love these guys.
their professionalism especially i nthe face of this new license potentially DEEPLY affecting them not just as players but as content creators and publishers is ... honestly refreshing. It would be so very easy to put a rant video out just trashing the leaked documents. Instead they take a thoughtful well measured response that is honest and calm about this news. Thanks Dungeon Dudes.
It’s inspiring to see how much you guys understand the leadership position and responsibility you have. Thank you for being outwardly calm and focused during all this. We’ll be looking to you guys for reasonable courses of action to take when the time comes.
Monty. Hats off brother. I could feel you seething through my phone screen. Keep the faith. Would love to see a massive rallying of the content creators to brainstorm and support their own system. Show Hasbro that soulless corporate greed gets zero rewards.
@@alastorcorvus While that may be true, pathfinder 2e works differently and has different systems plus Wizards of the Coast will be in for multiple lawsuits if they try to monopolize on a dice system [which they'd be screwed given one of those games is KotOR which is a property under the mighty house of mouse/Disney. Plus anti-monopolization groups like the FTC could technically step in if they follow this move] That said, WotC better wise up, retract this hairbrained idea and sack those who even came up with this idea to begin with. The OGL needs to stay as is or they're only going to shoot themselves in the foot and go bankrupt at worst and at best have a crap ton of redemption to do if they want the community's trust again at best. Also, they need to let people who have a passion for tabletop run their projects not some former Microsoft pencil pusher.
This kind of complete, calm and composed response is perfect. Thank you so much for being a part of this community and all that you have done and will do.
OGL 1.0 keeps THOUSANDS of the best RPG creators and game designers focused on DND. If 1.1 goes through it’ll take less than a year for all these people to start working on improving or creating other systems. OGL 1.0 is a golden goose. I understand updating it a bit but this is INSANE.
it depends if it goes to court about if OGL1.0 still stands, can Wotc revoke a previous licence or not? but Wotc/Hasbro have big money to fund lawyers. most content creators are small companies if that, can they find the money to get through a court case and possibly win? their is enough lanuage in OGL 1.0 to say it carrys on but it needs a court ruling to be clear about it. its a Dark time for DnD this year until things are made clear which could take months.
The amount of creators this will put on the street, coupled with the monopolistic result of these actions, makes me wonder if it is only a question of when - not if - the Government steps in on this (maybe the Trade Commission for squashing competition). I know I wrote my Congresswoman on it. When thousands more people will hit the unemployment lines during a recession, Washington notices and someone is going to say something.
@@douglasreid699 With how damaging such a ruling would be, it would be a class action lawsuit. In effect, all those who would be affected band together to fight the battle in the courtroom. Rather appropriate that those who specialize and have expertise in strategy and combat can put that to use in a battle together.
@@SkaalKesh I don’t know about you but in my small gaming circle there are SIX lawyers among that circle. Now extrapolate that to the entire country. Not to mention that a lot of courts frown upon big corporations legal teams drawing out court actions to bleed smaller companies dry.
@@donalddouds6033 unfortunately, this is history. Big corporations have been known to come out with stuff they know would have zero chance in court, but roll with it anyways knowing the little guys will bankrupt themselves trying to fight it. It’s a common tactic in business.
Wow, excellent summary. I have already watched EVERY video you linked to (and many others, besides). You covered all the crucial points, clearly, understandably, and without severe accusations or emotions (which must be tough). This is a superb run down of all the issues, covering both what we know as well as what we don't -- and without rat-holing into side topics like "why?" and "what the hell?" This is thoroughly professional, exactly the kind of content I've come to expect from you. I hope I can enjoy such content for many years to come. I hope.
I just started DMing last year and this channel played a huge role in providing me with inspiration to create my own campaign. Two of the players from my group are now DMing campaigns of their own to introduce other people in their circles to the hobby. It's the creators and the community that provide the growth and creativity for this hobby. Wizards fucked up.
Been waiting for this for a week now. Thank y'all for chiming in! Omg, I've never seen them this angry before! You know it's about to get real when they pull out other game books to cover up Monty's D&D books
I've never watched (or heard of) your channel before, but this video was linked on a Discord I'm on, and I'm glad it was. This is the best summary of what's going on with the OGL and why it's so concerning. Thank you for making it!
The content you've made (along with Treantmonk, D4 and others) brought me back to D&D after years away from it. I think your audience is loyal and more than willing to support any content you create in the future regardless of rules or systems. We love you guys!
I noticed your book shelves and I think it speaks volumes to both how this niche community needs its fundamental community pieces but also that this might shift a lot of creativity into a new mentality... who knows. Wish you guys the best of luck, I can't imagine the feeling of someone telling you they want to take ownership of drakonheim just you know "in case" they want to base a video game or movie on it some day at their leisure. man that would tick me off. I appreciate your professionalism and think this was a good video.
If one party can unilaterally change the terms of a contract to take more revenue and claim more ownership over the other party’s work, then it isn’t a contract, it’s a conquest.
The amount of cuts and edits, I see as evidence of how hard it must've been to record this. I can only imagine what you are feeling. Stay strong, stay together, #opendnd.
The unfortunate fact is Wizards is following in the footsteps of Games Workshop's infamous license changes that more or less killed any fan content created under that PI. If not challenged, they will likely keep going, hoping to increase their revenue by using the creativity and ideas of its fanbase. Us, the fans, must present a firm stance regarding such dangerous ideas. Send protesting messages to the company via e-mails and social media, share videos like this one, and if that doesn't work, well... do not support them with our money. There's plenty of other RPG systems out there, made by companies who do not treat their players as cash cows to be milked.
I can respect the GW one though. It's a bit draconian but they were running into the Team Four Star problems where fan works are making huge money or confusing casuals with 3rd part content. The OGL one is messed up.
Really respect how professional you guys are being with all this craziness. Let's hope for the best, your content inspire me and so many others to create they're own!
Speaking of all those other game system books behind you, I’d be *really* interested in seeing a channel I know like you running a tiny mini-campaign, say 3-4 sessions in each of them across a period of months or even years. It’d be really interesting to see what they’re like in action and help let us know which we’d be interested in. Some of these like Blades In The Dark I know nothing about. If a live play session for each is too much to ask for, it would be cool to just have a regular video introducing them and their and their pros/cons.
Agreed! Note that they already did some excellent sessions of Monster of the Week, great fun. 🙂👍 (For those not familiar, Monster of the Week is an RPG in the “Powered by the Apocalypse” group, i.e. it adapts the mechanics of Vincent Baker’s game “Apocalypse World”. There are many excellent PbtA games out there.)
Thank you guys for your insight and perspective on this issue. As an attorney, this issue is really interesting regarding contract law and interpretation of the "in perpetuity" clause in the original OGL. As a D&D nerd, Drakkenheim enthusiast, and DM, this change is incredibly disappointing.
You did a great job articulating and explaining the OGL situation. I can always count on the two of you to produce high quality, thoughtful, comprehensive, non clickbait content. Thank you so much, keep at it and know that you have my support!
Kelly & Monty, Thank you both and also to all of your partners for the thousands of hours of work you've done up until now and I know you'll continue to do. Keeping my fingers crossed that this will be reversed or at least addressed by WOTC soon. You two are the main reason I've stuck with D&D for the last few years, why I've started to DM my own campaigns, and why I have so much passion for this community. Looking forward to Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim whenever this is ready. Know that you have a great community here who will continue to support you.
Honestly this is soul crushing. I got into dnd 5e based off your DoD campaign. It's horrible what Hasbro is doing to these content creators who spent so much time and effort into their worlds. People like you have done more for the DnD community, then WotC will ever do. The growth of DnD is because of the community not because WotC releasing their subpar campaigns and minor content books.
Bro, you guys are literally the first DND UA-cam channel that has helped me get introduced to the hobby. It Hurst me that greedy corporation just want to hurt you guys and many content creator. I'm glad that I get to see many content creator uniting to fight this issue.
I can't imagine how scary this is for you guys when you guys are trying to get a book out the door after the kickstarter. And thank you for adding your voices to this. It's a really uncomfortable time for D&D all of a sudden.
As a backer of your drakenheim campaign i am willing to wait for you to do whatever you need to keep your ip. Drakenheim was one of three youtube channels that lit my passion for dnd and helped me take the plunge of trying the DM seat. You have my support.
Great breakdown! A lot of us are in a sea of uncertainty right now. My heart goes out to everyone who is being and will be affected by this change. I personally find this move by Wizards to be morally and ethically void of any heart and soul. It is a slap in the face to the community of creators and players who helped lift up D&D over the decades. It is stabbing Us in the back. I will continue to fight for justice in any way that I can. If you need any assistance let me know.
This channel was the first channel that I started watching when I first began DMing. It has brought so many other channels to my feed and I have grown so attached to all of these creators. Looking in this comment section and seeing all the creators I look to comment on your video, inspires and brings hope that we will be okay as a community. The pass time we know and love I believe will survive. I’ve seen others jump ship and give up hope, but I’m so happy to see that you will continue to teach us how to be better DMs, players, and other content creators how to make this beautiful hobby into something that can put bread on the table. Thank you!
Thanks for this video, dudes. You guys have always been pillars of this community, so I’m glad to hear you take a strong stance against this. I’m hoping that you guys (as well as every other content creator) can come out of the situation unscathed.
I've heard a lot of kerfuffle about Wizards of the Coast recently but hadn't had the chance to actually sit down and read through it all. Thank you for releasing such a concise and informed video. I hope that all goes well for you guys in the future and that your published Drakkenheim content is not negatively affected by this change. I'll be rooting for you guys!
I'll, 100%, ALWAYS, support you two "Dudes". You folks just keep doing what you do and I'll keep sharing, subscribing, pre-ordering and laughing and enjoying all that you endeavor in. Your show and the fun you've created has been a huge help through some tough times for me over the years. In the meantime, I'll be looking forward to the future you folks create. Thank you.
You guys have been one of the biggest influences on me as a Game Master and TTRPG player. Regardless of how this all goes down, you still have my support. #opendnd
By far, the most professional, detailed and concise breakdown of the information I have seen yet. I am wishing you guys and your team nothing but the best and I will continue to support, in any way that I can.
Thank you for this thoughtful perspective. I imagine this was a very difficult episode to write, given how much all the little details matter. Well done.
The clear and conscience statements you guys have made make it easier to understand what is going on without the fear mongering and anger in the explanation. Thank you for covering the topic. Probably didn't want to but needed to. Hopefully this doesn't effect your newest book release.
@@johnymey4034 I guess you missed the part where they have been protecting their rights with the original OGL since it was released 22+ years ago. If they actually enact the new OGL as the leak was written, there is very little I can call it besides greedy. But, we all have our own view on the way a business should be run. I still stand with Apple against Epic games publicity stunt. That was also a pretty greedy stance, the difference is that Apple has always been constant with it's business model, and Wotc is doing a 180 with theirs now that they have become popular. But, they may not stay that way. There is very little stopping everyone just writing a new gaming system up, outside of balancing there is not a lot of difficulty.
As someone who was just about to start off a year of game development to get my foot in the door as a designer...Yeah, this feels like a kick in the gut. Kelly's grimace at 11:40 sums up my feelings on all this as the news develops. I look forward to seeing where you all go next, and honestly? Drakkenheim would make a great setting for a Blades in the Dark game.
Wow…that abrupt ending. This is indeed the darkest timeline. Gallows humor aside, Mr. Rhexx also had to make a statement regarding his recently funded book Sands of Doom. He said he would sign the OGL 1.1 despite it being restrictive and having to relinquish the rights to his own creation by doing so, all in an effort to deliver on his Kickstarter. I sincere hope he does not go through with that. And I sincerely hope you guys don’t have to do something similar for your book! Best of luck in the days ahead! Let’s hope WotC is watching and drafting a friendlier version of the OGL instead of doubling down on this.
The OGL 1.1 is a fine license if you only make stuff like magic items or subclasses that you don't mind WotC using for free and telling you _you_ can't sell it anymore after 30 days. Anything more involved and it's best to dissociate yourself from the d20 system. WotC's "true" competitors - those who already use a different system - are going to love it just for the swathes of talented designers taking their creativity elsewhere. Prepare for every company now creating their OWN open game licenses for third party creators, and we'll see which licenses survive this "wild west" of a situation. There's just the problem that other systems have way smaller user-bases. *Now if ever* is the time for DMs to start learning new systems, and for WotC's competition to push with marketing and gain market recognition. D&D is bleeding customers but the gamers aren't going to stop playing. The company that *YOU* start to support because you truly love the system, might become the next market leader. In the MMORPG industry, people talked about "the next WoW-killer" for years and years. Apparently WotC wanted to expedite theirs.
Rhexx seems like a 'summer child' when it comes to intellectual properties. Seems like he'd rather have the 'official ' stamp of approval because he's scared of Gettin ostricized by what he sees deems as 'the church'.
@@TheRawrnstuff Much like WoW, the only thing that could have killed D&D at this point was WotC itself. And here we are, facing the potential death of D&D by self-decapitation. It's fitting, really. WoW became a shell of its former self with a tiny fraction of its former playerbase through corporate greed and mismanagement, and D&D is clearly heading in the same direction. I don't doubt that there are people who will keep supporting it anyway because they don't care and just want to play, much like WoW, but this will definitely mark a significant trend in people's system choices going forward.
@@Draeckon All in all, I'm sure the industry will be fine - we have perhaps the most creatively talented people in the world in this community. What's really going to hit WotC is that a disproportionate number of people abandoning D&D will be Dungeon Masters - people who WotC already needs more of, and people who invest the most money into the system. Your average player is not going to keep buying supplements just to have and read them, like DMs do. WotC better hustle with their DM AIs, or they'll be left with even more players who can't find a DM to run them. And I bet those AIs won't be buying books, either. OneD&D is going to become a subscription-based, AI run megaserver. A massive, multiplayer... online... roleplaying... game... Wow.
I saw him retweeting the vids and tweets talking about how had it is. I do not know what and when he said he might sign the ogl hope he does not sign it and sticks with 1.0a or maybe be system agnostic or maybe sands of be a one time thing(which I do not think OGL 1.1 permits? Unless I am wrong feel free to correct me)
I really appreciate this video! The background is a direct upvote but also the way the content is presented is really well done. I won't lie, I am not a regular viewer, many of your videos feel stretched for me, but this one did bring your calm way to present detailed information into a concise, interesting video to a popular topic and it didn't even repeat much of what others had already talked about. Thank you!
Hang in there dudes. You have our support. Hopefully the community will be able to help WotC realise how much of the success of 5e is thanks to 3rd party creators like you.
I have been playing DnD since 2008, but never really ran a game before starting my own Drakkenheim campaign. The work and insight you both have shared has really made me think about TTRPGs, how to tell my own stories, and gave me the courage to run my own campaign. I really appreciate your work.
Also check out roll of law for a complete deep dive into OGL 1.1. This is seriously heartbreaking. The main concern I have noticed is the original OGL is missing the word irrevocable.
I don't play D&D. I don't have a group, I don't have books, I don't have anything of the sort. But enjoying this hobby through the sheer amount of ideas, concepts, the way people show they love and affection for this Hobby really makes me feel at home. These kinds of corporative movements make you feel hopeless. And seeing all the content creators suffering from this kind of bullshit hurts my heart. I hope they understand that these kinds of stupid manouvers are always detrimental. And that such bullshit always has consequences. I am with you guys, forever following You, and thank You for your content. I wish you the best.
have you ever wanted to play? i promise you that finding a group online is not the horror story that people make it out to be. take charge and make sure that everyone at the table is comfortable with certain topics and get a vibe with them in a session 0, otherwise avoid those people, move on and then you don't have to confront that situation to begin with. it's never too late to get into it
Thank you for this. I've seen a lot about this, but your presentation is the most clear and calm. BTW, I love that behind you you're showing several great non-D&D games 🙂 I wish you nothing but success going forward. I'll keep following you guys whether you're covering D&D content or different systems.
It really does feel like we're living in the worst-case scenario. The work you've done is fantastic, so my hope is that it will still work out...somehow. Perhaps it's a fool's hope, but a hope nonetheless.
You forgot one important fact: May 19, 2022 Hasbro completed a ~148 Million transaction to WotC for the D&D license. That means Hasbro needs to monetize that sweet, sweet revenue. HAS is up to $65 today because this exclusivity will be extremely profitable. You had a good run, with OGL. You made a lot of money. Celebrate your success! It was a good run.
Should the DungeonDudes decide to publish using an alternate ruleset my table will switch to that ruleset so we can continue enjoying our Drakkenheim campaign (and eventually Sebastian content) in solidarity.
This has been weighing heavily on me as many in the community. I've been in the hobby on and off for over four decades. I had skipped out on 4E and drug my feet about 5E. Someone was trying to convert another game over and I wanted to know more about the system. I checked out videos on UA-cam and you two ere one of the groups that really made me excited to try playing in the new system. Because of that I reconnected with old friends and started gaming 5E. I've loved seeing the journey that you have made in publishing Drakkenhiem. I'm glad this currently doesn't impact your youtube and livestreams. I'm wishing the best for you and all of us.
We are all waiting for their response to this noise and hope they rescind this horrible mistake. In the meantime, it is essential that we keep the pressure on, everyone. Our hobby is being attacked from the inside by nefarious corporate actors who do not understand, nor care, about the fallout of their short-sighted decisions. Please, spread the word to your players, friends and even those outside of gaming who still believe in fairness and want to help. By keeping the pressure on, Wizards of the Coast must decide what's most important and so far, it seems, they've failed. We can beat this, folks. Stick together and sharpen those swords. To war!!
Thank you guys for doing this! Big fan of y'all and you were some of the first people I thought about when this was leaked. Wish you all the best of luck in your creative endeavors going forward!
Straight and to the point Dudes, thanks. I was not yet aware of the similar situation that happened in 4th edition; really sad to see the basically making the same mistakes twice.
Nice to see you two step into this conversation too. Its a scary time, the wording of all that was leaked has me very concerned given obvious intentions of the particular choices of language.
I have several thoughts that I would like to share: 1) That was an excellent summation of what the OGL is, has been, and may become. I have known several attorneys that struggle with mightily with making such dense legal concepts so readily digestible for lay persons. Bravo. 2) As I am apparently constitutionally unable to avoid playing devil's advocate, I feel it only fair to point out how wildly different Wizard's use of the OGL has been from what we typically see with large companies and their intellectual property. Imagine Microsoft, Disney, or Penguin Random House taking their flagship property and saying to software devs, directors, and authors, "here use this free of charge." And, even still, the newly revealed OGL is miles more permissive than what you would see from most companies. 3) #2 is not, in any way, a negative criticism of 3rd party creators who feel wronged, misled, or abandoned in this situation and does not mean that Wizard's doing what they legally have the right to do in this situation is a good thing. The relationship that Wizard's has created with its previous OGL/SRDs has been a boon both for the 3rd parties and for Wizard's. 4) I hope that the 3rd parties are wise in this situation and largely banned together. 5) Some changes to the OGL is not an inherently bad thing. It does not seem unreasonable to me for example that certain highly productive 3rd party content become subject to some royalties at a certain level nor that Wizard's have a license to utilize 3rd party content created under the OGL. Call it greedy if you will but remember that it is well short of how restrictive they could be. I would suggest something like making the royalty not only kick in after the content has reached X number of dollars in GROSS REVENUE but ALSO only only take Y percentage from the NET PROCEEDS (calculated prior to income tax so as not to risk making an ersatz partnership and not deprive the 3rd parties from taking the royalty payment as a deduction). Also, something like creating a caveat that Wizard's license to use 3rd party content created under the OGL only extends to other content that is open under the OGL as well and prohibits substantially similar publications so that Wizard's couldn't just reprint the content and undercut sales. 6) In the end, this situation will not matter to me substantially so long as the group of 3rd party creators as a whole and Wizard's can come to a reasonable agreement as to what works for them so that good content continues to be pumped out for fans to enjoy. You guys and the other creators have my sympathy and well wishes. Work together to find a good solution. As you pointed out, 4th edition had its own licensing troubles and we all know what happened with it. Now, the community of creators are more capable of communicating and standing together than ever before so hopefully we won't see an entire edition suffer from a foolish decision on Wizard's part.
Thank you for making this very clear, and easily digestible explanation. It helps having posts like this to share to help clear up any misinformation that's currently floating around. You all rock!
Thanks for the info and your frank opinion on the matter. Its tough to watch you guys so obviously upset and unsure about the future, but I totally get it. Scary stuff...
I see you. I love your content and I hope that things unfold in a way that your projects are not affected or affected the least. I will support you as much as I can. See you in the dungeon!
Thank you so much for the video. I genuinely thought you were one of the ones that WotC contacted, tried to strike a custom deal with under 1.1 and had sign an NDA. Apparently not. Anyway, we're with you, and, personally, if you switch to one of the systems you are incidentally showcasing in the background, I'll follow, and so will my group.
It is tragic to see short term profits driving wotc to essentially destroy the goodwill of the users and the thriving community. They could have supported third party publishers, like they have already done with critical role, entering into deals or partnerships with the ones that shows the most skills in creating. Instead they are quenching what they percieve as competition "eating into their profits" rather than realising it is the ogl that made their current revenue as big as it is in the first place.
I really hope this doesn't f__k you over. You guys are the reason I got back into DnD after 20 years. Your Drakkenheim content is awesome, and your UA-cam guides are so helpful. I've got the Dungeons of Drakkenheim book, and I've backed the Kickstarter for the Sebastian Crowe book too. Stay strong guys, we're thinking of you.
I feel so deeply sorry for you guys as I've been a fan of your content for a number of years now and I can't imagine the anguish this must be causing you, your team and your respective families. I hope the outcry of folks like yourselves and the multitude of others breaks through the corporate fog of greed to the C-suite dragons of Hasbro who evidently see this as just another bauble in their hoard. Kelly and Monte, how you read your copy through what was obvious anger and frustration was laudable and I am proud of you both for taking the stand you are and speaking your thoughts and sharing your truth. I look forward to your next video and will be wish you both the best in these trying and uncertain times. Now I gotta go, someone is cutting onions up in here.
Excellent clear and to the point video. The facts are these, we don't know how it will effect us. No speculation/fired up words or apparent anger - very well done!
You are so incredibly professional and I respect you and your team deeply. Your next steps may seem difficult and unknown, but your community supports you. I came to your page for the game, but I stayed because of you. I respect and appreciate your knowledge and straight forward discourse on this and will continue to support you wherever the Dungeon Dudes go moving forward. I’m sending positive vibes your way ❤️
When I first heard the news my first thought was of how it might affect the Drakkenheim crew. It's so wrong that you would have to worry about a billion dollar company ruining your hard work to make an extra buck. You guys don't deserve this stress and anxiety, I know how much you embrace the positive sides of the hobby and avoid drama and doomsaying. It's why the Dungeon Dudes is one of my favorite youtube channels. It sucks to see that even you guys are affected by this despite how hard you work to keep it all about the game and the creativity. This is the first video I've personally seen on this channel that's not about being creative and having fun with the game, I won't soon forgive WOTC for taking away your enthusiasm and infectious smiles. Us fans are still with you, WOTC might be trying to hang you out to dry but we'll still be here supporting you no matter the direction you decide to go.
Monty and Kelly, thank you for all your work and dedication to D&D. You guys are persons of integrity in a world controlled by those who have none. I hope WOTC thinks this through before they destroy the game we love and injures the community that supports it.
I wish Legal Eagle could weigh in on this. There's been a lot of people questioning the legality of parts of this, and I'd love to hear a legal expert's take. I play in a couple of games using roll20, and a lot of the Kobold Press materials. I've been concerned about how this is going to affect them. I'd be really surprised if this is something WotC would go forward with, but I have also heard some disturbingly plausible speculation that this was intentionally leaked so we'll all be happy when they release a marginally less crappy plan that's still utter poison.
Part of the answer is Kobold Press's announcement that they are going to be producing their own Core Game. So if you like their stuff they might just have their own legally-distinct but still fun game soon.
Well done to you and all the other content creators for highlighting this in the calm and respectful way you have. I’m fairly new to the hobby, but it’s largely thanks to channels like yours that I’ve been able to enjoy and immerse myself in DND for the last couple of years to the extent I have. It’s heart breaking to watch this happen to such a strong and supportive community, and so aside from signing an open letter to WOTC, I’ve shut down my DND Beyond account and they’re not getting another damn penny from me. All the best Dudes 🙏 #opendnd
I think it's fair to say, at least for me anyway, that the community is fully behind 3rd party content creators and I expect we will continue to support you guys and others even if it ultimately means we all move away from D&D to some of the other systems that are already available or recently announced. Keep up the good work fellas we are behind you!
Thanks for the breakdown. I don't normally comment or know what to say other than, this needs more recognition. I'm sorry that after dealing with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, you all are in the position to deal with the uncertainty caused by this revision. Thanks for all you guys do & will continue to do. This is professionalism at it's finest.
You guys were one of the first channels I thought of when I heard about 1.1. Sad to see so many fantastic creators be stifled in the name of short sighted greed
This was incredibly well thought out video. Thank you for staying with facts that we have now, and avoiding any fear mongering or dramatizations. I know this is a fearful time for many; I appreciate the calm and collected approach to the video. You also gave your audience set dates for things like video releases upcoming. This seems like a little thing, but the consistency in an uncertain time speaks wonders to your insight into how your audience is feeling. Thanks Dungeon Dudes.
Anyone else immediately spot that they’ve positioned a whole lot of alternative gaming system rule books behind them - ominous.
Oooo, good catch.
I saw that, too.
I clocked that really fast lol
I noticed that too. Most of the D&D books are hidden by other books/systems.
... was literally about to make the same comment
WotC's performance in the "Demolish 20 years of goodwill in 2 weeks or less" challenge has been exemplary so far.
They rolled a Nat 1 on Insight.
@@mwhearn1 they got an Intellect Devourer for an office pet, unfortunately it starved.
They felt pretty emboldened after wrecking 30 years of goodwill in one product announcement last year.
It's for the achievement! Next they'll go for the "did I do that?" Achievement where they try to walk it back and act like they're suddenly super genuine after it kills their bottom line.
October 4th was more than 2 weeks ago, otherwise - yeah.
Thank you for this comprehensive review, you've made the whole situation about as clear as it can be without any official word from WotC.
It'll be an interesting few weeks... and here I thought 2023 was going to be WAY better after the two years we just had.
@@Weird_Quests 2019 is like 3.5: When it's there you don't really want it, but when it's gone you just want it back.
Sadly, the continued silence from WotC is speaking volumes... :(
@@d.k.t.3380 yup :(
*I support Ginny Di, the Dudes here, DM Lair, and all the others.* They have been faces I know, and I know how hard it is to create pro level videos.
---> They have earned my loyalty, love, admiration, respect, and goodwill.
In my view: *It is time to boycott OneDnD, online game Baldur's Gate, DnDBeyond, and the DnD movie "Honor Among Thieves." Buy no more WotC products.*
I once worked in corporate realms and media companies, and I've written IP contracts. I have some idea how they think. Top people at Hasbro and WotC think this will blow over, and then they will get rich from other people's work.
*No one should hope they are going to back down on this.*
T People who claim "they did this bad thing so they could back down," is just pretending nonsense without any evidence.
he new heads are not going to do that, and even if they did, the trust is long broken.
Please consider Patreon for the good people and creators who care about you.
If you plan to buy anything, do it quickly, and avoid WotC.
The most clear and concise explanation of this I’ve seen yet! Thank you for communicating this so well and bringing it to your audience’s attention
Thanks Bob!
I appreciated your balanced approach to this as well. Happy to see great creators standing together and supporting this amazing community.
The saddest part is that I have a horrible feeling this is all in vain.
Car companies put standard features behind paywalls.
Software companies put ads into their paid for products.
Movie studios prevent ownership of their products and only allow temporary “licenses” to view.
Game companies include micro-transactions and released their products unfinished, adding DLC for even basic features.
Capitalism is the root of the evils of our creative industries (to say nothing of the evil it has wrought upon our natural world).
In 12 months time, OneDND will be live and 5e will be either in-person or piecemeal on various private Discord servers cos no large entity will risk a lawsuit to host it as Roll20 and similar do now.
@@HorizonOfHope stop it. Just stop it. Capitalism is what allows these things to exist in the first place. It’s what rewards creators to put their time into bringing their mind to life. Capitalism isn’t evil, and I’m sick and tired of reading that it is. The system is no more evil than the gun is. THE COMPANY is evil, just as the murderer is evil. Millions have died under every other system known to man, including socialism and communism, just like once thriving companies, even “good and moral” ones, have died under the implementation of those systems. Protest what needs to be protested- Wizards of the Coast, and Hasbro. Stop wasting energy protesting the system. For every dick company like them, there are hundreds more that do good things with the money they make, including this very channel…..
Nothing stops people from gaming around tables again using whatever they want to!
I heartily approve of the entirely coincidental arrangement of fine RPG titles displayed in the background center between Kelly and Monty.
It's a nice reminder that there are plenty of other TTRPG options that people could choose to move to
Did you notice how most of them are OGL games?
Thank you! I am still interested in DND/tabletop whatever but didn’t follow this. Best of luck to both of you
@@SymbioteMullet Yup, sorta defeats the purpose a bit. The CoC looked older, so that may be the original Chaosism D100 game, not sure. It really should have been ALL non D20 games.
aliens is so frigin fun
The Dudes are incredibly responsible and give a really first class summary of what's going on with the reported OGL changes. You can see them reading out pre-written statements about their position towards the end of the video. You can see how they are trying not to look angry, but they are clearly upset about this betrayal of trust that all creators have depended on. They and other creators who have released fantastic products in recent years need and deserve our support. Dudes, once again, thank you!
Exactly. The whole thing looks like a hostage video.
Love these guys and their passion for DND is contagious.
@McLovin We will have to see now that Wotc has assured us that what it sent to everyone to sign was only wanting feedback(!)
whether the views of people like Monty and Kelly will change. IF Wotc don't charge royalties and guarantee that they won't in future try and steal other creator's work, then things MIGHT return to something like the way the situation was before. But honestly, it's unlikely. I think the Dudes will spend more time talking about other system mechanics in future
This is exactly why I came here to get info. I feel these two try very hard to be completely honest and fair. I have almost no understanding of the legal stuff, and wanted someone I could trust to explain it. I also love how they explained the history of the OGL for those of us who are fairly new to the community, and simplified things for us.
I guess all the edits were to take out all the swearing :(
Thanks for a great breakdown, seeing huge respected creators talk about this fills me with hope that we can beat this thing as a community if we keep standing together! #opendnd
Hear hear 👍
Viva la resistance
Indeed!!!
Glad to see great creators standing together. Thanks for your video on this too and your support for the community.
I hope this is the case - 2023 was going to be the year I would start growing my content business (freelance writer and narrative designer at the moment and was planning to build my own business).
This is our campaign as one enormous party of D&D lovers. We have heard the call, and whatever needs to be done to protect the freedom of press and creation as well as our most beloved creators, shall be done. We are all behind you, Dudes. ❤
Y'all see you got a shout out on the Philip DeFranco show? It's spreading beyond just our community
Yeah it was so dope!!
I’m glad y’all are addressing this. I know it hits home. Y’all have poured your heart, soul, sweat, and tears into creating arguably one of the greatest campaign settings I’ve ever seen, and it has to be a slap in the face for TDD, and all other third party creators.
I’m new to the channel, what’s the campaign setting they made?
@@noodlesyoutuber Drakkenheim
@@noodlesyoutuber you can find 3 seasons of episodes here on the channel.
Dungeons of Drakkenheim
Shadows of Drakkenheim
Fate of Drakkenheim
Also, they have a collection of one shot episodes called Untold Tales of Drakkenheim
@@thetowndrunk988 thanks I watched farther in the video and heard them mention it lol I’ll be checking out soon
@@thetowndrunk988 awesome those all sound really cool
Glad to see y’all not be silent. Also glad to see the fan content won’t be effected, although it’s probably only a matter of time. I wish you both the best and thank you for supporting creators. ❤
Yes, it's good to hear what they OGL isn't. And that it didn't effect these videos. At least not directly. This OGL BS has a good chance of killing the community around d&d and therefore thier audience.
@@Valyn Not forever. We’ll migrate to something, and it may be a few rocky years, but we’ll be one hell of a community!!
@@zomarleyonwriting8322 I mean it's already happened before. The 4th edition debacle gave us Pathfinder, and there are already systems out there that aren't dependent on the OGL at all.
How many DnD streamers are going to continue to play and promote a game system owned by out-of-touch, money-grubbing bastards?
@@kevinkingmaker7395 Some night think it's a good idea to jump ship early and use the current momentum. But I think many will continue. Its a primary revenue stream for them. But I can't believe the next campaign will be WotC related.
You know it's bad when they didn't go with Kelly "1.0(a)" McLaughlin and Dr Monty "Third-Party" Martin.
But being serious it's very clear this will affect Dungeon Dudes given their own books uses OGL. We are happy to see that you brought ALL the research, the receipts, and their own words.
You are some of the Titans in this community and we are happy you are on the side of #OpenDnD.
I can feel the deep anger and sadness here, but also a seriously disciplined effort to be fair to all parties involved and to get the correct information. Professionalism at its best. Y’all literally taught me how to play DND during the pandemic, so if it’s a choice between you and the corporation that just wrote abstruse books you made more accessible, it’s an easy call. I reckon the same goes for many other 3rd party creators and their fan-bases.
Same, the dudes have been, and continues to be the biggest instructors to my DnD life. They inspired me during the pandemic and have taught me so much about the community. To see this potentially crush their Channel will ruin my taste and future with the game they made me fall in love with. Heartbreaking.
Love this.
Look at the last few videos then look at this one, pay attention to the background. They are being professional, but they definitely have some emotions they are suppressing and found a classy way of showing it. Love these guys.
their professionalism especially i nthe face of this new license potentially DEEPLY affecting them not just as players but as content creators and publishers is ... honestly refreshing.
It would be so very easy to put a rant video out just trashing the leaked documents. Instead they take a thoughtful well measured response that is honest and calm about this news.
Thanks Dungeon Dudes.
Yeah that ending was COLD.
It’s inspiring to see how much you guys understand the leadership position and responsibility you have. Thank you for being outwardly calm and focused during all this. We’ll be looking to you guys for reasonable courses of action to take when the time comes.
Monty. Hats off brother. I could feel you seething through my phone screen. Keep the faith. Would love to see a massive rallying of the content creators to brainstorm and support their own system. Show Hasbro that soulless corporate greed gets zero rewards.
Thought that was 'Pathfinder'? That did pretty well, right?
@@timseddon1757 Pathfinder will not be protected under the new ogl so they could receive a cease and desist
@@timseddon1757 yeah but Pathfinder also benefitted from the original OGL
@@alastorcorvus While that may be true, pathfinder 2e works differently and has different systems plus Wizards of the Coast will be in for multiple lawsuits if they try to monopolize on a dice system [which they'd be screwed given one of those games is KotOR which is a property under the mighty house of mouse/Disney. Plus anti-monopolization groups like the FTC could technically step in if they follow this move] That said, WotC better wise up, retract this hairbrained idea and sack those who even came up with this idea to begin with. The OGL needs to stay as is or they're only going to shoot themselves in the foot and go bankrupt at worst and at best have a crap ton of redemption to do if they want the community's trust again at best. Also, they need to let people who have a passion for tabletop run their projects not some former Microsoft pencil pusher.
@@WyntheRogue I heard that Pathfinder 2.0 still includes the SRD.
This kind of complete, calm and composed response is perfect. Thank you so much for being a part of this community and all that you have done and will do.
OGL 1.0 keeps THOUSANDS of the best RPG creators and game designers focused on DND. If 1.1 goes through it’ll take less than a year for all these people to start working on improving or creating other systems. OGL 1.0 is a golden goose. I understand updating it a bit but this is INSANE.
it depends if it goes to court about if OGL1.0 still stands, can Wotc revoke a previous licence or not? but Wotc/Hasbro have big money to fund lawyers. most content creators are small companies if that, can they find the money to get through a court case and possibly win?
their is enough lanuage in OGL 1.0 to say it carrys on but it needs a court ruling to be clear about it.
its a Dark time for DnD this year until things are made clear which could take months.
The amount of creators this will put on the street, coupled with the monopolistic result of these actions, makes me wonder if it is only a question of when - not if - the Government steps in on this (maybe the Trade Commission for squashing competition).
I know I wrote my Congresswoman on it. When thousands more people will hit the unemployment lines during a recession, Washington notices and someone is going to say something.
@@douglasreid699 With how damaging such a ruling would be, it would be a class action lawsuit. In effect, all those who would be affected band together to fight the battle in the courtroom. Rather appropriate that those who specialize and have expertise in strategy and combat can put that to use in a battle together.
@@SkaalKesh I don’t know about you but in my small gaming circle there are SIX lawyers among that circle. Now extrapolate that to the entire country. Not to mention that a lot of courts frown upon big corporations legal teams drawing out court actions to bleed smaller companies dry.
@@donalddouds6033 unfortunately, this is history. Big corporations have been known to come out with stuff they know would have zero chance in court, but roll with it anyways knowing the little guys will bankrupt themselves trying to fight it. It’s a common tactic in business.
Wow, excellent summary. I have already watched EVERY video you linked to (and many others, besides). You covered all the crucial points, clearly, understandably, and without severe accusations or emotions (which must be tough). This is a superb run down of all the issues, covering both what we know as well as what we don't -- and without rat-holing into side topics like "why?" and "what the hell?" This is thoroughly professional, exactly the kind of content I've come to expect from you. I hope I can enjoy such content for many years to come. I hope.
I love the placement of the rule books for different systems like pathfinder on the shelves in the background.
I just started DMing last year and this channel played a huge role in providing me with inspiration to create my own campaign. Two of the players from my group are now DMing campaigns of their own to introduce other people in their circles to the hobby. It's the creators and the community that provide the growth and creativity for this hobby. Wizards fucked up.
Been waiting for this for a week now. Thank y'all for chiming in!
Omg, I've never seen them this angry before! You know it's about to get real when they pull out other game books to cover up Monty's D&D books
I agree!
That's a Canadian Declaration of war right there...
Same. They're really professional, but you can easily see all the frusturation
I've never watched (or heard of) your channel before, but this video was linked on a Discord I'm on, and I'm glad it was. This is the best summary of what's going on with the OGL and why it's so concerning. Thank you for making it!
The content you've made (along with Treantmonk, D4 and others) brought me back to D&D after years away from it. I think your audience is loyal and more than willing to support any content you create in the future regardless of rules or systems. We love you guys!
I noticed your book shelves and I think it speaks volumes to both how this niche community needs its fundamental community pieces but also that this might shift a lot of creativity into a new mentality... who knows. Wish you guys the best of luck, I can't imagine the feeling of someone telling you they want to take ownership of drakonheim just you know "in case" they want to base a video game or movie on it some day at their leisure. man that would tick me off. I appreciate your professionalism and think this was a good video.
If one party can unilaterally change the terms of a contract to take more revenue and claim more ownership over the other party’s work, then it isn’t a contract, it’s a conquest.
'I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it further.'
Same energy.
That's usually how franchises works
Ohh look... American Capitalism in it's native form
"American Capitalism"
I can already assume what you want is way worse.
Conquest driven by Hasbro.
The amount of cuts and edits, I see as evidence of how hard it must've been to record this. I can only imagine what you are feeling. Stay strong, stay together, #opendnd.
Well done guys. A clear, concise, transparent update. *Turns to look at WOTC.*
The unfortunate fact is Wizards is following in the footsteps of Games Workshop's infamous license changes that more or less killed any fan content created under that PI. If not challenged, they will likely keep going, hoping to increase their revenue by using the creativity and ideas of its fanbase.
Us, the fans, must present a firm stance regarding such dangerous ideas. Send protesting messages to the company via e-mails and social media, share videos like this one, and if that doesn't work, well... do not support them with our money. There's plenty of other RPG systems out there, made by companies who do not treat their players as cash cows to be milked.
I can respect the GW one though.
It's a bit draconian but they were running into the Team Four Star problems where fan works are making huge money or confusing casuals with 3rd part content.
The OGL one is messed up.
Respect GW! Right. Destroy 30 years and replace with garbage.
Really respect how professional you guys are being with all this craziness. Let's hope for the best, your content inspire me and so many others to create they're own!
Speaking of all those other game system books behind you, I’d be *really* interested in seeing a channel I know like you running a tiny mini-campaign, say 3-4 sessions in each of them across a period of months or even years. It’d be really interesting to see what they’re like in action and help let us know which we’d be interested in. Some of these like Blades In The Dark I know nothing about. If a live play session for each is too much to ask for, it would be cool to just have a regular video introducing them and their and their pros/cons.
Agreed! Note that they already did some excellent sessions of Monster of the Week, great fun. 🙂👍
(For those not familiar, Monster of the Week is an RPG in the “Powered by the Apocalypse” group, i.e. it adapts the mechanics of Vincent Baker’s game “Apocalypse World”. There are many excellent PbtA games out there.)
Thank you guys for your insight and perspective on this issue. As an attorney, this issue is really interesting regarding contract law and interpretation of the "in perpetuity" clause in the original OGL. As a D&D nerd, Drakkenheim enthusiast, and DM, this change is incredibly disappointing.
You did a great job articulating and explaining the OGL situation. I can always count on the two of you to produce high quality, thoughtful, comprehensive, non clickbait content. Thank you so much, keep at it and know that you have my support!
Kelly & Monty, Thank you both and also to all of your partners for the thousands of hours of work you've done up until now and I know you'll continue to do. Keeping my fingers crossed that this will be reversed or at least addressed by WOTC soon. You two are the main reason I've stuck with D&D for the last few years, why I've started to DM my own campaigns, and why I have so much passion for this community. Looking forward to Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim whenever this is ready. Know that you have a great community here who will continue to support you.
Honestly this is soul crushing. I got into dnd 5e based off your DoD campaign. It's horrible what Hasbro is doing to these content creators who spent so much time and effort into their worlds. People like you have done more for the DnD community, then WotC will ever do. The growth of DnD is because of the community not because WotC releasing their subpar campaigns and minor content books.
Bro, you guys are literally the first DND UA-cam channel that has helped me get introduced to the hobby. It Hurst me that greedy corporation just want to hurt you guys and many content creator.
I'm glad that I get to see many content creator uniting to fight this issue.
Thank you for the info. You made a huge impact on the way I run the game for my group. You have my support. Keep that head up guys!
I can't imagine how scary this is for you guys when you guys are trying to get a book out the door after the kickstarter. And thank you for adding your voices to this.
It's a really uncomfortable time for D&D all of a sudden.
As a backer of your drakenheim campaign i am willing to wait for you to do whatever you need to keep your ip.
Drakenheim was one of three youtube channels that lit my passion for dnd and helped me take the plunge of trying the DM seat. You have my support.
We are with you dudes; and all of our other 3rd party creators. No matter what happens, you will have our support. #opendnd
My journey as a DM has been immeasurably improved thanks to you guys, whatever happens next, I will be following/supporting you
watched your wishlist for OD&D yesterday and the optimism of "we hope they expand the scope of the OGL" was a little ironic :(
Great breakdown! A lot of us are in a sea of uncertainty right now. My heart goes out to everyone who is being and will be affected by this change. I personally find this move by Wizards to be morally and ethically void of any heart and soul. It is a slap in the face to the community of creators and players who helped lift up D&D over the decades. It is stabbing Us in the back. I will continue to fight for justice in any way that I can. If you need any assistance let me know.
Eeeeyyyyy! DM Lair is here too? Seems all of the creators are banding together. Keep up the good work Luke!
This channel was the first channel that I started watching when I first began DMing. It has brought so many other channels to my feed and I have grown so attached to all of these creators. Looking in this comment section and seeing all the creators I look to comment on your video, inspires and brings hope that we will be okay as a community. The pass time we know and love I believe will survive. I’ve seen others jump ship and give up hope, but I’m so happy to see that you will continue to teach us how to be better DMs, players, and other content creators how to make this beautiful hobby into something that can put bread on the table.
Thank you!
I can't imagine how stressful this will have been for all of you. Wishing you all the best and hoping this all clears up for you.
Thanks for this video, dudes. You guys have always been pillars of this community, so I’m glad to hear you take a strong stance against this. I’m hoping that you guys (as well as every other content creator) can come out of the situation unscathed.
I've heard a lot of kerfuffle about Wizards of the Coast recently but hadn't had the chance to actually sit down and read through it all. Thank you for releasing such a concise and informed video. I hope that all goes well for you guys in the future and that your published Drakkenheim content is not negatively affected by this change. I'll be rooting for you guys!
I'll, 100%, ALWAYS, support you two "Dudes". You folks just keep doing what you do and I'll keep sharing, subscribing, pre-ordering and laughing and enjoying all that you endeavor in.
Your show and the fun you've created has been a huge help through some tough times for me over the years.
In the meantime, I'll be looking forward to the future you folks create. Thank you.
Why did you write dudes between " ?
Because they are dugeons "dudes" not just regular dudes
You guys have been one of the biggest influences on me as a Game Master and TTRPG player. Regardless of how this all goes down, you still have my support. #opendnd
Ominous fade to black at the end there. Very foreboding. Thanks for the careful and honest breakdown without intense emotions to distract from facts.
By far, the most professional, detailed and concise breakdown of the information I have seen yet. I am wishing you guys and your team nothing but the best and I will continue to support, in any way that I can.
Thank you for this thoughtful perspective. I imagine this was a very difficult episode to write, given how much all the little details matter. Well done.
The clear and conscience statements you guys have made make it easier to understand what is going on without the fear mongering and anger in the explanation. Thank you for covering the topic. Probably didn't want to but needed to. Hopefully this doesn't effect your newest book release.
Shocking that a corporation wants to become greedier.
News at 11: Water is wet.
@@johnymey4034 Are... are you defending Hasbro?
@@johnymey4034 This is bait.
@@johnymey4034 I guess you missed the part where they have been protecting their rights with the original OGL since it was released 22+ years ago. If they actually enact the new OGL as the leak was written, there is very little I can call it besides greedy. But, we all have our own view on the way a business should be run. I still stand with Apple against Epic games publicity stunt. That was also a pretty greedy stance, the difference is that Apple has always been constant with it's business model, and Wotc is doing a 180 with theirs now that they have become popular. But, they may not stay that way. There is very little stopping everyone just writing a new gaming system up, outside of balancing there is not a lot of difficulty.
They are, after all, a business. Talk with your wallet, they are betting you won't.
As someone who was just about to start off a year of game development to get my foot in the door as a designer...Yeah, this feels like a kick in the gut. Kelly's grimace at 11:40 sums up my feelings on all this as the news develops. I look forward to seeing where you all go next, and honestly? Drakkenheim would make a great setting for a Blades in the Dark game.
Wow…that abrupt ending. This is indeed the darkest timeline.
Gallows humor aside, Mr. Rhexx also had to make a statement regarding his recently funded book Sands of Doom. He said he would sign the OGL 1.1 despite it being restrictive and having to relinquish the rights to his own creation by doing so, all in an effort to deliver on his Kickstarter. I sincere hope he does not go through with that. And I sincerely hope you guys don’t have to do something similar for your book! Best of luck in the days ahead! Let’s hope WotC is watching and drafting a friendlier version of the OGL instead of doubling down on this.
The OGL 1.1 is a fine license if you only make stuff like magic items or subclasses that you don't mind WotC using for free and telling you _you_ can't sell it anymore after 30 days.
Anything more involved and it's best to dissociate yourself from the d20 system.
WotC's "true" competitors - those who already use a different system - are going to love it just for the swathes of talented designers taking their creativity elsewhere. Prepare for every company now creating their OWN open game licenses for third party creators, and we'll see which licenses survive this "wild west" of a situation. There's just the problem that other systems have way smaller user-bases.
*Now if ever* is the time for DMs to start learning new systems, and for WotC's competition to push with marketing and gain market recognition. D&D is bleeding customers but the gamers aren't going to stop playing. The company that *YOU* start to support because you truly love the system, might become the next market leader.
In the MMORPG industry, people talked about "the next WoW-killer" for years and years. Apparently WotC wanted to expedite theirs.
Rhexx seems like a 'summer child' when it comes to intellectual properties. Seems like he'd rather have the 'official ' stamp of approval because he's scared of Gettin ostricized by what he sees deems as 'the church'.
@@TheRawrnstuff Much like WoW, the only thing that could have killed D&D at this point was WotC itself. And here we are, facing the potential death of D&D by self-decapitation. It's fitting, really. WoW became a shell of its former self with a tiny fraction of its former playerbase through corporate greed and mismanagement, and D&D is clearly heading in the same direction. I don't doubt that there are people who will keep supporting it anyway because they don't care and just want to play, much like WoW, but this will definitely mark a significant trend in people's system choices going forward.
@@Draeckon All in all, I'm sure the industry will be fine - we have perhaps the most creatively talented people in the world in this community.
What's really going to hit WotC is that a disproportionate number of people abandoning D&D will be Dungeon Masters - people who WotC already needs more of, and people who invest the most money into the system. Your average player is not going to keep buying supplements just to have and read them, like DMs do.
WotC better hustle with their DM AIs, or they'll be left with even more players who can't find a DM to run them. And I bet those AIs won't be buying books, either.
OneD&D is going to become a subscription-based, AI run megaserver.
A massive, multiplayer... online... roleplaying... game...
Wow.
I saw him retweeting the vids and tweets talking about how had it is. I do not know what and when he said he might sign the ogl hope he does not sign it and sticks with 1.0a or maybe be system agnostic or maybe sands of be a one time thing(which I do not think OGL 1.1 permits? Unless I am wrong feel free to correct me)
I really appreciate this video!
The background is a direct upvote but also the way the content is presented is really well done.
I won't lie, I am not a regular viewer, many of your videos feel stretched for me, but this one did bring your calm way to present detailed information into a concise, interesting video to a popular topic and it didn't even repeat much of what others had already talked about.
Thank you!
Hang in there dudes. You have our support. Hopefully the community will be able to help WotC realise how much of the success of 5e is thanks to 3rd party creators like you.
I have been playing DnD since 2008, but never really ran a game before starting my own Drakkenheim campaign. The work and insight you both have shared has really made me think about TTRPGs, how to tell my own stories, and gave me the courage to run my own campaign. I really appreciate your work.
Even if you have to strip every bit of 5e out of Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim, you've still got my pledge.
Also check out roll of law for a complete deep dive into OGL 1.1. This is seriously heartbreaking. The main concern I have noticed is the original OGL is missing the word irrevocable.
I’m glad to see y’all covered this. I’ve been a little overwhelmed by everything that’s going on and y’all are a clear voice in the crowd.
Signed the petition! I support you guys anyway i can! Thank you for everything you have given us so far
I don't play D&D.
I don't have a group, I don't have books, I don't have anything of the sort.
But enjoying this hobby through the sheer amount of ideas, concepts, the way people show they love and affection for this Hobby really makes me feel at home.
These kinds of corporative movements make you feel hopeless. And seeing all the content creators suffering from this kind of bullshit hurts my heart.
I hope they understand that these kinds of stupid manouvers are always detrimental. And that such bullshit always has consequences.
I am with you guys, forever following You, and thank You for your content.
I wish you the best.
have you ever wanted to play?
i promise you that finding a group online is not the horror story that people make it out to be. take charge and make sure that everyone at the table is comfortable with certain topics and get a vibe with them in a session 0, otherwise avoid those people, move on and then you don't have to confront that situation to begin with. it's never too late to get into it
Thank you for this. I've seen a lot about this, but your presentation is the most clear and calm. BTW, I love that behind you you're showing several great non-D&D games 🙂 I wish you nothing but success going forward. I'll keep following you guys whether you're covering D&D content or different systems.
It really does feel like we're living in the worst-case scenario. The work you've done is fantastic, so my hope is that it will still work out...somehow. Perhaps it's a fool's hope, but a hope nonetheless.
Just have to remember: from the Black Death spawned the Renaissance. TTRPGs will survive. D&D will not.
You forgot one important fact: May 19, 2022 Hasbro completed a ~148 Million transaction to WotC for the D&D license. That means Hasbro needs to monetize that sweet, sweet revenue. HAS is up to $65 today because this exclusivity will be extremely profitable. You had a good run, with OGL. You made a lot of money. Celebrate your success! It was a good run.
Should the DungeonDudes decide to publish using an alternate ruleset my table will switch to that ruleset so we can continue enjoying our Drakkenheim campaign (and eventually Sebastian content) in solidarity.
This has been weighing heavily on me as many in the community. I've been in the hobby on and off for over four decades. I had skipped out on 4E and drug my feet about 5E. Someone was trying to convert another game over and I wanted to know more about the system. I checked out videos on UA-cam and you two ere one of the groups that really made me excited to try playing in the new system. Because of that I reconnected with old friends and started gaming 5E. I've loved seeing the journey that you have made in publishing Drakkenhiem. I'm glad this currently doesn't impact your youtube and livestreams. I'm wishing the best for you and all of us.
We are all waiting for their response to this noise and hope they rescind this horrible mistake. In the meantime, it is essential that we keep the pressure on, everyone. Our hobby is being attacked from the inside by nefarious corporate actors who do not understand, nor care, about the fallout of their short-sighted decisions. Please, spread the word to your players, friends and even those outside of gaming who still believe in fairness and want to help. By keeping the pressure on, Wizards of the Coast must decide what's most important and so far, it seems, they've failed. We can beat this, folks. Stick together and sharpen those swords. To war!!
Thank you guys for doing this! Big fan of y'all and you were some of the first people I thought about when this was leaked. Wish you all the best of luck in your creative endeavors going forward!
Kobold Press is releasing its own gaming rules system and keeping it free and open for all.
Straight and to the point Dudes, thanks. I was not yet aware of the similar situation that happened in 4th edition; really sad to see the basically making the same mistakes twice.
Man it hurts seeing you guys so sombre. Hang in there dudes.
Nice to see you two step into this conversation too. Its a scary time, the wording of all that was leaked has me very concerned given obvious intentions of the particular choices of language.
This one of the most coherent, concise position pieces I have seen on the new OGL.
Love to see the community banding together. Can't wait to see WOTC with their tail between their legs on this one.
I have several thoughts that I would like to share:
1) That was an excellent summation of what the OGL is, has been, and may become. I have known several attorneys that struggle with mightily with making such dense legal concepts so readily digestible for lay persons. Bravo.
2) As I am apparently constitutionally unable to avoid playing devil's advocate, I feel it only fair to point out how wildly different Wizard's use of the OGL has been from what we typically see with large companies and their intellectual property. Imagine Microsoft, Disney, or Penguin Random House taking their flagship property and saying to software devs, directors, and authors, "here use this free of charge." And, even still, the newly revealed OGL is miles more permissive than what you would see from most companies.
3) #2 is not, in any way, a negative criticism of 3rd party creators who feel wronged, misled, or abandoned in this situation and does not mean that Wizard's doing what they legally have the right to do in this situation is a good thing. The relationship that Wizard's has created with its previous OGL/SRDs has been a boon both for the 3rd parties and for Wizard's.
4) I hope that the 3rd parties are wise in this situation and largely banned together.
5) Some changes to the OGL is not an inherently bad thing. It does not seem unreasonable to me for example that certain highly productive 3rd party content become subject to some royalties at a certain level nor that Wizard's have a license to utilize 3rd party content created under the OGL. Call it greedy if you will but remember that it is well short of how restrictive they could be. I would suggest something like making the royalty not only kick in after the content has reached X number of dollars in GROSS REVENUE but ALSO only only take Y percentage from the NET PROCEEDS (calculated prior to income tax so as not to risk making an ersatz partnership and not deprive the 3rd parties from taking the royalty payment as a deduction). Also, something like creating a caveat that Wizard's license to use 3rd party content created under the OGL only extends to other content that is open under the OGL as well and prohibits substantially similar publications so that Wizard's couldn't just reprint the content and undercut sales.
6) In the end, this situation will not matter to me substantially so long as the group of 3rd party creators as a whole and Wizard's can come to a reasonable agreement as to what works for them so that good content continues to be pumped out for fans to enjoy.
You guys and the other creators have my sympathy and well wishes. Work together to find a good solution. As you pointed out, 4th edition had its own licensing troubles and we all know what happened with it. Now, the community of creators are more capable of communicating and standing together than ever before so hopefully we won't see an entire edition suffer from a foolish decision on Wizard's part.
Honestly, it's nice to see everyone join together to fight against the change to the OGL and the greed of Hazbro and WotC
Thank you for making this very clear, and easily digestible explanation. It helps having posts like this to share to help clear up any misinformation that's currently floating around. You all rock!
Thanks for the info and your frank opinion on the matter. Its tough to watch you guys so obviously upset and unsure about the future, but I totally get it. Scary stuff...
I see you.
I love your content and I hope that things unfold in a way that your projects are not affected or affected the least. I will support you as much as I can.
See you in the dungeon!
Thank you for clearly explaining what happened.
Thank you so much for the video. I genuinely thought you were one of the ones that WotC contacted, tried to strike a custom deal with under 1.1 and had sign an NDA. Apparently not. Anyway, we're with you, and, personally, if you switch to one of the systems you are incidentally showcasing in the background, I'll follow, and so will my group.
It is tragic to see short term profits driving wotc to essentially destroy the goodwill of the users and the thriving community. They could have supported third party publishers, like they have already done with critical role, entering into deals or partnerships with the ones that shows the most skills in creating. Instead they are quenching what they percieve as competition "eating into their profits" rather than realising it is the ogl that made their current revenue as big as it is in the first place.
Thank you, gentlemen. Your professionalism and statement are both wonderful and appreciated. May we all survive this fallout with our sanity.
I really hope this doesn't f__k you over. You guys are the reason I got back into DnD after 20 years. Your Drakkenheim content is awesome, and your UA-cam guides are so helpful. I've got the Dungeons of Drakkenheim book, and I've backed the Kickstarter for the Sebastian Crowe book too.
Stay strong guys, we're thinking of you.
I feel so deeply sorry for you guys as I've been a fan of your content for a number of years now and I can't imagine the anguish this must be causing you, your team and your respective families. I hope the outcry of folks like yourselves and the multitude of others breaks through the corporate fog of greed to the C-suite dragons of Hasbro who evidently see this as just another bauble in their hoard.
Kelly and Monte, how you read your copy through what was obvious anger and frustration was laudable and I am proud of you both for taking the stand you are and speaking your thoughts and sharing your truth. I look forward to your next video and will be wish you both the best in these trying and uncertain times.
Now I gotta go, someone is cutting onions up in here.
Excellent clear and to the point video. The facts are these, we don't know how it will effect us. No speculation/fired up words or apparent anger - very well done!
You are so incredibly professional and I respect you and your team deeply. Your next steps may seem difficult and unknown, but your community supports you. I came to your page for the game, but I stayed because of you. I respect and appreciate your knowledge and straight forward discourse on this and will continue to support you wherever the Dungeon Dudes go moving forward. I’m sending positive vibes your way ❤️
When I first heard the news my first thought was of how it might affect the Drakkenheim crew. It's so wrong that you would have to worry about a billion dollar company ruining your hard work to make an extra buck. You guys don't deserve this stress and anxiety, I know how much you embrace the positive sides of the hobby and avoid drama and doomsaying. It's why the Dungeon Dudes is one of my favorite youtube channels. It sucks to see that even you guys are affected by this despite how hard you work to keep it all about the game and the creativity. This is the first video I've personally seen on this channel that's not about being creative and having fun with the game, I won't soon forgive WOTC for taking away your enthusiasm and infectious smiles. Us fans are still with you, WOTC might be trying to hang you out to dry but we'll still be here supporting you no matter the direction you decide to go.
After 750 thousand then Hasbro gets royalties. Doesn't sound so bad to me.
Even the intro is somber. Chills.
Monty and Kelly, thank you for all your work and dedication to D&D. You guys are persons of integrity in a world controlled by those who have none. I hope WOTC thinks this through before they destroy the game we love and injures the community that supports it.
Really appreciate your calm and detailed review of the situation. Hope this all shakes out okay for you guys.
I wish Legal Eagle could weigh in on this. There's been a lot of people questioning the legality of parts of this, and I'd love to hear a legal expert's take.
I play in a couple of games using roll20, and a lot of the Kobold Press materials. I've been concerned about how this is going to affect them. I'd be really surprised if this is something WotC would go forward with, but I have also heard some disturbingly plausible speculation that this was intentionally leaked so we'll all be happy when they release a marginally less crappy plan that's still utter poison.
You might be able to get Leonard French to talk about it if you catch him on one of his live-streams.
Part of the answer is Kobold Press's announcement that they are going to be producing their own Core Game. So if you like their stuff they might just have their own legally-distinct but still fun game soon.
@@TheAntesse Yup, I just saw that!
Well done to you and all the other content creators for highlighting this in the calm and respectful way you have. I’m fairly new to the hobby, but it’s largely thanks to channels like yours that I’ve been able to enjoy and immerse myself in DND for the last couple of years to the extent I have. It’s heart breaking to watch this happen to such a strong and supportive community, and so aside from signing an open letter to WOTC, I’ve shut down my DND Beyond account and they’re not getting another damn penny from me. All the best Dudes 🙏 #opendnd
I think it's fair to say, at least for me anyway, that the community is fully behind 3rd party content creators and I expect we will continue to support you guys and others even if it ultimately means we all move away from D&D to some of the other systems that are already available or recently announced. Keep up the good work fellas we are behind you!
Thanks for the breakdown. I don't normally comment or know what to say other than, this needs more recognition. I'm sorry that after dealing with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, you all are in the position to deal with the uncertainty caused by this revision. Thanks for all you guys do & will continue to do. This is professionalism at it's finest.
You guys were one of the first channels I thought of when I heard about 1.1. Sad to see so many fantastic creators be stifled in the name of short sighted greed
This was incredibly well thought out video. Thank you for staying with facts that we have now, and avoiding any fear mongering or dramatizations. I know this is a fearful time for many; I appreciate the calm and collected approach to the video. You also gave your audience set dates for things like video releases upcoming. This seems like a little thing, but the consistency in an uncertain time speaks wonders to your insight into how your audience is feeling.
Thanks Dungeon Dudes.
Great video, hope WOTC rethinks this. Can't help but hurt the game, it's independent creators and players.